All That Glitters
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: Phoebe helps a man who's being pursued by demons that not even the Elders can identify.
1. Chapter 1

CHARMED "All That Glitters"  
by J. B. Tilton email: K+ (for mild language)

Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

(Authors note: This story takes place between season 2 episodes "Be Careful What You Witch For" and season 3 premier episode "Honeymoon's Over".)

Phoebe helps a man who's being pursued by demons that not even the Elders can identify.

ONE

Phoebe hurried through the mall heading for the exit. She had been gone much longer than she had originally planned. If she had known the mall was having a big anniversary bash she would have waited to come here shopping. Hundreds of people hurried through the mall looking for the many bargains that were being offered.

As she exited the building she sighed a sigh of relief. She loved shopping but this was worse than the Christmas rush. People pushing and shoving, the stores running out of items, many inconsiderate and down right rude people concerned with nothing more than getting what they had come for. She was finally glad to be out of there. The things on her list could wait a few days.

As she approached the car, she was glad she had parked on the outskirts of the parking lot. She had seen a couple of fender benders walking through the parking lot. Being on the outskirts meant she could probably get out of the parking lot without risking one herself. Prue would never forgive her if she scratched her car.

Phoebe put the key in the lock and turned it. She glanced in the back seat to make sure it was still empty. Living in New York City had taught her a thing or two about surviving on the street. Most people were worried about being followed to their car. Very few actually checked to make sure no one was already in the car hiding in the back seat. She had seen more than one news report that women had been abducted because someone was already in the car when they got in.

As she opened the door she glanced around. Another of her survival habits. If there was anyone loitering about nearby, she wanted to be sure she was aware of them. She wasn't very worried at the moment. Most people didn't vanish in broad daylight. Still, it never hurt to be careful.

Other than a few people who seemed to be hurriedly heading for their own cars she saw only one other man. He was standing in the next lane looking around. Apparently he had lost his car in the sea of vehicles in the parking lot. Not too surprising considering the lot was very nearly full.

The man was about Pipers' age. He wore a suit and tie and Phoebe thought he looked like a lawyer. His hair was a reddish color but unlike most people Phoebe had seen with red hair, this man had a dark complexion. As she watched him he simply scanned the parking lot as if he was looking for something.

"Misplace your car?" Phoebe asked.

"I beg your pardon?" asked the man with just the slightest hint of an English accent.

"Did you misplace your car?" Phoebe asked again. "It's pretty easy on a day like this."

"Oh, no, not at all," said the man smiling. "I was simply looking. It is amazing how you get so many vehicles into such a limited space."

"Well, it is a parking lot," Phoebe said. "Are you from England? I notice you have an accent."

"Oh, no, I'm not from England," the man said. "Actually, I'm quite sure you've never heard of my home. It's not well known here."

"I see," Phoebe said. "So, if you didn't misplace your car, what are you doing? Just admiring the view?"

"Yes, something like that," said the man. "I only arrived in your community. I find everything quite fascinating. I was wondering. Could you possibly suggest a local food establishment? I'm just dying to sample the delicacies your culture has to offer. It's one of my reasons for coming here."

"Well," Phoebe said after a moment, "I guess it depends on what you like. Italian, Chinese, Mexican; what kind of food do you enjoy?"

"I'm not quite sure," said the man. "I'm afraid I've not tried any of those. What would you suggest?"

"Chinese is always good," Phoebe said. "There's a Chinese restaurant about two blocks from here. Just head east on..."

Phoebes' voice trailed off as a movement behind the man caught her eye. About four lanes over two men simply materialized in the parking lot. Only they weren't men. They were obviously demons. They stood about six feet tall and were a uniform gray color. Their ears were pointed and their eyes didn't seem to have any pupils. Strangely, they seemed to be dressed in some type of uniforms.

One of them raised what looked like a small sphere in its hand and pointed it at the man Phoebe was talking with. After a moment, it turned to the other demon and said something, pointing at the man. The two demons then began to make their way towards the man.

"Oh boy," Phoebe said, heading over to the man.

He had noticed her looking behind him and turned to see what she was looking at. When he saw the two demons standing there he turned back to her.

"Are they friends of yours?" he asked.

"No, definitely not friends," Phoebe said, grabbing the man by the arm. "Come on. We have to get you out of here."

"I don't understand," said the man as Phoebe opened the passenger door and started pushing the man inside.

"No time for explanations," Phoebe said. "Just get in the car. First we get you out of here. Then there will be time for explanations."

"Well, if you insist," said the man.

He began to climb into the car as Phoebe headed around to the drivers side. The two demons were closing on them fast. Already they were only two lanes away. Phoebe quickly got into the car and started it up. Just as the two demons reached the car, she backed out of the space and turned the car, gunning it away from the demons.

She narrowly missed another car just as it was backing out of its place. Fortunately the traffic light out of the mall was green. As she turned onto the street she glanced in her rearview mirror. The two demons stood in the empty parking space. One of them was again holding up the spherical object. Phoebe continued to drive away from the mall, heading for the manor and her two sisters. 


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

"You're sure they were demons?" Prue asked after Phoebe explained to her sisters what had happened. "And you're sure they're after him?"

"They just appeared out of nowhere," Phoebe said. "And they were definitely after him. I don't know what that spherical thing was they had but it couldn't be good."

"So," said Prue, looking at their guest, "any idea why demons might be after you, Mister..."

"Oh, Smith," replied the man. "Jonathan Smith. And, no, I haven't the foggiest."

"John Smith?" Piper asked, more than a hint of disbelief in her voice. "Your name is John Smith?"

"Yes, actually, it is," said Smith. "If it would help, I could show you my drivers license if you'd like."

"No, I don't think that will be necessary," Prue said. "I guess there have to be some men named John Smith. You probably get that reaction a lot."

"Not as much as you might imagine," said Smith.

"Okay, Phoebe," Prue said, "you go upstairs and see if you can find these demons or whatever they are in the Book of Shadows. We'll talk with Mr. Smith and see if we can't figure out why these demons are after him."

"You don't seem surprised to find demons after you," Piper said after Phoebe had gone to the attic. "It doesn't surprise you to find that demons are real?"

"I'm not sure quite what to think," said Smith. "I did research your culture before I came here. Apparently there are a large number of people here who believe in such things. Even if they are only legends, most legends have their origins in some form of fact."

"You don't believe in demons?" Prue asked.

"I'm afraid belief in demons was abandoned by my culture some time ago," Smith said. "However, that does not necessarily preclude their existence."

"Your culture?" questioned Piper. "What country are you from?"

"As I told Phoebe," Smith said, "I'm sure you've never heard of it. It's not very well known."

"I see," Prue said. "So, how long have you been in the United States?"

"Not long," Smith said. "Actually, I arrived only three days ago. I'm on a vacation of sorts. And I love to travel. I had never been here and I felt it the perfect opportunity to come here."

"Uh huh," Prue said. "So, we need to figure out why demons are after you. What do you do for a living?"

"A living?" questioned Smith.

"Yes," Piper said. "What kind of job do you have?"

"Oh, a job," Smith said. "Well, I suppose you could say I run the family business. I inherited it when my father passed away."

"What kind of business?" Prue asked.

"A variety of things, actually," Smith said. "I believe the term 'conglomerate' would probably best describe it."

"Is it very big?" Prue asked.

"Moderate size I suppose," Smith said. "Most of my day is filled with handling the major responsibilities of the business. I have others who handle the more mundane day-to-day things."

"I suppose it could be a rival businessman," Piper said. "Maybe someone who hired a demon to get him out of the way so he could take over the business."

"Maybe," Prue said. "Are you married? Have any family?"

"No, not married," said John. "Although in a couple of years I will marry. I have only a younger brother and sister."

"You might want to call them and let them know what's going on," Prue said. "It might be hard to convince them there are demons out there. But you could at least warn them that they might be targets for kidnapping or assassination or something."

"I doubt that is a possibility," Smith said. "There would be nothing to gain by harming them."

"Except your cooperation," Piper said. "If this is a rival businessman, he might take one or both of them hostage to get you to do whatever it is he wants."

"Perhaps you're right," Smith said. "I will contact them at my first opportunity."

'You can use our phone, if you want," Prue said.

"I'm afraid that would not be possible," Smith said. "It would be difficult to reach them at the moment. However, I shall contact them as soon as possible."

"Okay," Prue said. "Where are you staying?"

"Actually," Smith said, "I am still looking for accommodations."

"Well, I suppose you could stay on the couch for a day or two," Prue said. "At least until we figure out what demons these are and why they are after you."

Smith reached into his pocket and pulled out a large wad of hundred dollar bills.

"I would be more than happy to compensate you for the inconvenience," he said. "It seems only fair if I am to be a guest in your home."

"I don't think," Piper began.

"Maybe just one hundred dollars," Prue said, glancing at Piper. "We'll have to stock up on food. And we may need some special ingredients for any potions we may have to make up."

Piper just stared at Prue. They had never asked for money from an innocent before. If Prue was taking money from this one she must have reason.

"Not a think about them in the book," Phoebe said, coming down the stairs. "Nothing even remotely like them. And I couldn't find anything about that orb thingy either."

"Anything about demons in uniforms?" Piper asked.

"Not a word," Phoebe said. "Whatever these are someone must not have encountered them before. Or at least they didn't make an entry about them. I find that just a bit odd."

"Well, I suppose there are demons that none of our ancestors have encountered," Prue said. "We've encountered things that weren't in the book before. We'll just have to keep our eyes open and see what we can find out. Mr. Smith..."

"Please, call me Jonathan," said Smith.

"Okay, Jonathan," Prue said. "Would you excuse us for a minute. We need to confer on this and see about making some arrangements to protect you."

"Certainly," Jonathan said. "May I watch your television?"

"Help yourself," Piper said.

"Okay, what's going on?" Phoebe asked when the girls had gone to the kitchen.

"That's what I'd like to know," Prue said. "Phoebe, are you sure those were demons that were after him?"

"I described them to you," Phoebe said. "They certainly weren't human. And they just appeared in the parking lot. Right out of thin air. Why do you ask?"

"Because Mr. Smith is lying to us," Prue said.

"You caught that too, huh?" Piper asked.

"That's why I agreed to take the money," Prue said. "It might help us figure out what's going on."

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asked.

"He said he had only been in the United States for three days," Piper said. "But he offered to show us a drivers license."

"Maybe it's one from whatever country he's from," Phoebe said.

"He also said he didn't have a place to stay," Prue said. "That he was still looking for accommodations, as he put it. It he doesn't have a place to stay, where's he been staying the past three days?"

"You think he might be a demon or something?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know," Piper said. "But he's up to something. Whatever it is, it's probably best if we have him around here so we can figure out what it is."

"I agree," Prue said. "Piper, try to get hold of Leo. See if he can figure out who this guy is or what those things were that were after him. For the time being, I think it's best if we don't let Mr. Smith know about Leo. That will give us a little edge over him."

"I think you're wrong about him," Phoebe said. "He hasn't done anything to show he's a danger to us. In fact, those demons were going after him."

"Jeremy didn't do anything until after I got my powers, either," Piper said. "And I dated him for six months."

"Good point," Phoebe said. "Okay, we'll keep an eye on him. But somehow I don't think he's threat. He may not be telling us the truth but there could be a reason for that."

"Whatever it is," Prue said, "I want to know the reason. In the mean time, let's just pretend like nothing is wrong. No need to let our guest know we're on to him."

Prue and Phoebe went back into the living room while Piper stayed in the kitchen and called for their White Lighter. 


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

"You're a very good cook," Jonathan said as the four ate dinner. "I must say I've never had this, what did you call it? Lasagna? It is quite good. I have nothing like this at home."

"Just where is that anyway?" Prue asked. "You never did say. You only said we probably hadn't heard of it."

"Oh," Jonathan said, "well, uh, it's a small country that boarders the former Soviet Union. When it broke up we gained our independence. And my father decided to start his own business. He did remarkably well all things considered."

"Apparently," Prue said.

"Your English is very good," Piper said. "Although you don't have a Russian accent. It's more English."

"Yes, well," Jonathan said, "I was educated at Oxford. My father decided that since I would inherit the company one day I should be prepared to run it. So he got me the best education possible."

"That's interesting," Phoebe said. "I've never been to England. I hear it rains over there a lot."

"Yes, it does," said Jonathan. "More than I'm accustomed to. But I find I enjoy the rain sometimes. It can be quite soothing."

"Well, looks like we're all just about finished," Piper said. "Why don't you guys go into the living room while I take care of the dishes? I'll be in when they're done."

"Need any help?" asked Prue.

"No," Piper said, glancing at Jonathan, "I can handle it. You can have a nice chat with Jonathan while I'm doing them."

"Sounds like an excellent idea," Jonathan said, standing up.

Phoebe and Prue helped Piper put the dishes in the sink and then escorted Jonathan into the living room. They had no sooner left the kitchen than Leo orbed in.

"I checked with the Elders," Leo said. "They have no idea what kind of demons attacked your guest. And it has them worried. There's no indication of any demons that wear uniforms."

"That's odd," Piper said. "Even if there isn't a listing for them in the Book of Shadows the Elders should at least have an idea what they are. How is that possible?"

"That's what has them concerned," Leo said. "It shouldn't be possible. You wouldn't believe how many different types of demons there are. But most of them have been identified at one time or other. It's very unusual for there to be a demon that no one knows about."

"Here," Phoebe said, handing Leo a one hundred dollar bill. "We got this from Jonathan. Prue thought it might help us to identify who he really is."

"You think he's not who he says he is?" Leo asked.

Piper told him about their suspicions regarding Jonathan. Leo agreed that it did seem odd. As he listened to Piper, he was examining the bill.

"You know," he said, "this doesn't feel like paper. It feels more like some form of plastic."

"It felt okay to me," Piper said. "And Prue didn't mention anything odd about it."

"White Lighters have a more sensitive touch than humans," Leo said. "It looks genuine enough. But it feels strange. I'll see what I can find out about it."

"Thanks," Piper said. "There are just too many things about this that don't make sense. Why would some unknown demons be after an innocent? And what was that orb thing that Phoebe described?"

"I don't know," Leo said. "The Elders are going to check around. They might come up with something. As soon as they do, I'll let you know."

"Great," Piper said. "Only don't orb in around Jonathan. Prue thinks it's a good idea if he doesn't know about you. I think it's a good idea, too."

"I can't," Leo said. "You guys weren't even supposed to know about me. I can't go letting a mortal know that White Lighters exist. I'll make sure to orb in when he's not around."

"Okay," Piper said, smiling at Leo.

Leo orbed out of the kitchen and Piper went into the living room. Her sisters and their guest were sitting in the living room talking.

"So, what's up?" Piper asked, taking a seat on the sofa.

"Your sisters were just letting me know of some good tourist attractions in the city," Jonathan said. "Once this whole demon incident is resolved, perhaps you three would consent to show me the city. It may be a while before I will be able to make it back here."

"We might just do that," Piper said. "What about your country? Any good tourist attractions there?"

"I'm afraid not," Jonathan said. "Because of its location it's cold most of the time. Dreadful amounts of snow fall the year round. I must confess I like the warmer client here."

"Yeah, it's pretty nice most of the year," Phoebe said. "I lived in New York City for a while. It took some getting used to those winters, let me tell you."

"I can imagine," Jonathan said. "Quite a shock from a climate such as this I would imagine."

"It is," Phoebe said. "The first week it turned cold I nearly froze my butt off. Coming from San Francisco I really didn't have any cold weather clothes. Luckily one of the girls where I worked took pity on me and help me go shopping for..."

Her sentence went unfinished as two demons suddenly appeared in the entryway. They appeared to be the same two demons that had attempted to get Jonathan in the mall parking lot. One of the demons held the spherical object in its hand. It raised the object, pointing it at the four sitting in the living room. 


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

The demons were no more than six or seven feet from the four. At that distance they could each see them clearly. They appeared very similar to the description Phoebe had given Prue and Piper earlier. Now, they could tell even more details about them.

The demons skin still appeared to be a uniform gray colored. But it didn't look like skin at all. It appeared to be artificial. Their hands had only three fingers but not the obligatory claws the sisters had come to expect from many demons. They also noticed that the demons didn't seem concerned with them. They appeared to be interested only in Jonathan as they both stared directly at him.

"Get him out of here," cried Prue.

As Phoebe took Jonathan by the arm, Prue used her telekinetic ability. She grabbed the spherical item from the demons' hand and cast it away. The demon turned toward the kitchen, intent on retrieving the item.

As Prue attacked the first demon, Piper used her freezing power to freeze the second demon. She wasn't sure if she could freeze both demons nor did she know just how long her freeze would hold this one. But at least for the moment they only had one demon to concern themselves with.

Phoebe pulled Jonathan into the entryway past the frozen demon. She hurriedly pushed him up the stairs; intent on getting him safely out of danger while her sisters confronted the demons. As she passed the frozen demon she glanced over. The first demon had retrieved the sphere and was turning toward her.

"Get him upstairs," Prue said, stepping up next to Phoebe. "We'll take care of our intruders."

Phoebe pushed Jonathan ahead of her up the stairs. He offered little resistance. As they reached the landing halfway up the stairs, Phoebe glanced down at the entryway. The demon with the sphere stretched out his hand and a beam shot from the palm. She watched in horror as the beam struck Prue, encasing her in some form of energy shield.

Suddenly Piper appeared in the entryway. She had a vase with some flowers in her hand. She threw the vase at the demon, striking him directly in the head. The demon fell back into the kitchen door, dropping the sphere. At the same time, the energy beam from his hand ceased and Prue was freed from her energy cage.

Phoebe and Jonathan continued up the stairs as Prue and Piper continued to battle the two demons. By now Pipers freeze of the second demon had worn off. It turned to grab Piper. Prue used her telekinetic power once again to cast the demon into the living room, out of reach of her younger sister.

Piper bent down and picked up the sphere the first demon had dropped. It looked simply like a glass sphere about four inches in diameter. The glass was opaque and what, if anything, inside was hidden from view. As she looked up, the first demon came charging out of the kitchen.

Piper raised the sphere and threw it directly at the demon. It struck the demon in the chest, shattering on impact. As it did, the demon stiffened as bolts of electricity emanated from and covered its body. Clumsily, it stumbled backward into the kitchen.

Prue and Piper turned to face the second demon. It stood looking at them for a moment, and then simply vanished from the living room. The two sisters looked up at the top of the stairs to make sure Phoebe and Jonathan were okay. Then they headed into the kitchen and the demon that had stumbled in there. There was no demon in sight. Several glass fragments lay scattered on the floor but the demon was gone. Apparently the sphere had vanquished it when it had shattered.

"Well, looks like we took care of at least one of them," Prue said. "I guess the other one wasn't in the mood to fight us alone."

"Looks like you're right," Piper said, picking up the fragments of glass. "These might help us identify what this thing was. And maybe what type of demons those were. Leo said the Elders had no idea."

"That's odd," Prue said.

"Everything okay?" asked Phoebe, sticking her head in the kitchen door.

"For the moment," Prue said. "Is Jonathan okay?"

"Yeah," Phoebe said. "He's right behind me. Where's our friend?"

"Vanquished, I guess," Piper said, holding up the glass fragments. "But we got this, whatever it is. I'm hoping that we can identify what it is. Maybe get a clue about the identity of these things."

"Good idea," Phoebe said. "Jonathan's a bit shaken up but he doesn't seem to be hurt. So, what's our next move?"

"You and I are going to talk to Jonathan again," Prue said. "Piper is going to see about getting some help identifying this glass sphere."

"Right," Piper said.

As Prue and Phoebe escorted Jonathan back into the living room, Piper called for Leo. 


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

"Okay," Prue said, "we need some answers. That's the second time these demons have attacked. There has to be a reason they're after you. We can't just keep waiting around here hoping the answers will present themselves. We need to figure out what they want."

"Honestly, I don't know," Jonathan said. "As I said, there really isn't any reason for a demon to want me."

"What about competitors?" Piper asked. "You said your company does a variety of things. What kinds of things?"

"Well," said Jonathan, "farming, textiles, manufacturing, clothing, quite a number of things actually. I'm sure there are even areas of which I am unaware."

"What about enemies?" Prue asked. "Most people have enemies. Especially most successful businessmen. Anyone who might hate you enough to send a demon after you?"

"I'm sure that's possible," Jonathan said. "I have my share of enemies, to be sure. As you said, most people do. But most of my enemies would be political rather than personal. It's hard to imagine a political rival summoning demons to harm me."

"You talk a lot but you don't say much," Prue said. "When are you going to start telling us the truth?"

"I can assure you I've been quite honest with you," Jonathan said. "Why would I lie?"

"That's a good question," Prue said. "You said you had only been here three days yet you offered to show us your drivers license. Only you couldn't get drivers license that quickly. You also said you didn't have a place to stay. So where have you been living the three days you supposedly have been here."

"It's a sort of mobile home you could say," Jonathan said. "It's parked on the outskirts of town. I'm afraid it's much too large for the streets of San Francisco."

"You also won't tell us the name of the country you're from," Phoebe said. "You just keep saying we've never heard of it."

"I sincerely doubt that you have," Jonathan said.

"So what's it called?" Prue asked. "Surely it has a name."

"Of course," Jonathan said. "It's Sherron. Honestly, I don't understand why it's so important."

"It's just that most people have some idea why demons are after them," Prue said. "You said you don't believe in demons but you aren't surprised to find they're real. That would shake most people up. Kind of like finding out that leprechauns or fairies were real. These demons want you bad and I find it very hard to believe that you have no idea why."

"I'm afraid I can't tell you any more than I already have," Jonathan said.

"Can't," asked Piper coming out of the kitchen, "or won't? That money you gave us. It's not real. It's printed on some type of plastic. It's nearly identical to paper but it's not paper. And that glass sphere. It doesn't seem to do anything. There's no magic to it at all. Why would demons be so bent on using something that has no magic in it?"

"I'm as much in the dark as you are," Jonathan said. "I never saw those demons before today. As Phoebe said, they simply appeared in the parking lot at the mall and appeared as if they were coming after me. I honestly have no idea why."

"There's something you aren't telling us," Prue said. "Something we're missing. And unless we can figure out what that is, we can't continue to protect you. Eventually those demons will come back and we have no idea how to stop them."

"Isn't there some form of potion or elixir you could use?" Jonathan asked. "I understand that is the normal method of dealing with demons. Or perhaps a spell of some kind."

"Yes, that's one way to handle demons," said Phoebe. "But unless we know what kind of demons we're fighting we don't know which one to use. There isn't an all purpose potion or spell for something like this. It has to be geared to the specific type of demon if it's going to do any good."

"Phoebe's right," Piper said. "Without knowing what kind of demons these are I don't know what ingredients to use in the potion. They're like a disease. Unless you know what the specific disease is you don't know what kind of medicine to use on it. It could actually be worse if we use the wrong potion. It might just make them stronger instead of vanquishing them."

"I see your point," Jonathan said. "I truly wish I could help. I honestly do. But I've told you as much as I know. As for the money, that's easy to explain. You see, I made it myself."

"You counterfeited money?" Prue asked. "You paid us with counterfeit money? Just what were you going to do when we got arrested for passing phony money? Wave bye bye as they took us off to prison?"

"I hadn't realized it was a problem," Jonathan said. "I didn't have any currency that you use here. It became necessary for me acquire some. Making it seemed the easiest option. I truly hadn't realized it was against the law."

"Wait a minute," Phoebe said. "It was easier for you to make counterfeit money than to just exchange some of your currency at a bank? That doesn't make any sense."

"Actually," Jonathan said, "I didn't bring any currency with me. I wasn't sure what form of currency you used here. It does vary from one country to the next."

"Yes," said Piper, "but almost every country uses some form of paper money. Are you telling us that your country doesn't use paper money?"

"No, I'm afraid it doesn't," Jonathan said. "I can see how this must look to you. And if I could help you identify those demons I honestly would. But I simply don't know what kind they are. You must believe me."

"We don't have to believe anything," Prue said. "You're a counterfeiter, probably a thief, most likely a liar, and who knows what else. Innocent or not, I think it's best if we just turn you over to the authorities and let you take your chances. Unless you start talking real fast. Let's see how long you last in jail when those demons attack and we aren't around to protect you."

"You can't do that," said Leo, suddenly coming in from the kitchen.

"Leo, what are you doing here?" asked Piper. "I told you to stay out of sight at least for now."

"I know," said Leo. "But something very weird is going on here. Something that neither I nor...anyone else can explain. Until we figure out what's going on, you can't let anyone know he's here."

"Of course something weird is going on," Prue said. "We have unidentified demons attacking a man who claims he doesn't know why. And doesn't seem to want to tell us the truth even though it could cost him his life. I'd call that weird."

"It's more than that," Leo said. "I just came from...you know. There's something very interesting about your guest here. Other than the three of you, no one can sense that anyone is even in the manor. It's as if he doesn't exist." 


	6. Chapter 6

SIX

"Leo, that's crazy," said Phoebe. "Look at him? He's sitting right on the sofa. Of course he exists."

"I know how it sounds," said Leo. "But it's true. I'm looking right at him and I can't sense him either."

"Which means he's not human," said Prue.

"What do you mean you can't sense me?" asked John. "This is all a bit confusing to me."

"Confusing to you?" asked Piper. "Leo, what does that mean? If you can't sense him, does that make him a demon or what?"

"No," said Leo. "Even if he was a demon, I'd be able to sense that. At least I'd be able to sense the evil. Something. But there's just nothing there for me to sense. As I said, it's as if he doesn't exist, even though he clearly does. Which means this involves something magical and you can't let anyone find out about it."

"Okay, Mr. Jonathon Smith or whatever you real name is," said Prue, "you'd better start giving us some straight answers. Who...what are you? And why are those demons after you? And don't give us any of that crap about you don't know because I don't believe you."

"I don't know what to tell you," said John. "I've never even seen a demon before. I have no idea why they would be interested in..."

Before he could finish, two demons suddenly appeared behind Leo in the entryway.

"Leo, watch out," screamed Piper.

"Why?" Leo asked, turning to see what she was pointing at.

Two demons identical to the ones the sisters had fought only a while before stood in the entryway behind Leo. One of them raised a glass sphere and pointed it at Leo. Before any of the sisters could move, a beam of energy shot from the demons hand encasing him in the same energy field that had nearly encased Prue.

Prue reached out with her telekinetic power and cast the glass sphere from the demons hand. It bounced on the floor and began to roll toward the kitchen. Just as quickly, the second demon raised a similar sphere and a beam of energy shot out from its hand encasing Prue in a field of energy.

Piper raised her hands intent on freezing both demons. The first demon, however, had turned to retrieve its sphere and disappeared into the kitchen before Piper could activate her power. The second demon froze instantly, its hand still outstretched. Piper hurriedly moved toward the kitchen to stop the other demon.

"Piper, watch out," cried Phoebe.

Piper turned and too late saw the first demon now standing in front of the fireplace. As she turned to freeze it, a beam of energy shot from its hand encasing her in an energy field. Piper's power simply impacted with the inside of the energy cocoon and dissipated away.

Phoebe didn't hesitate. She attacked the demon with all the skills her martial arts afforded. She performed a roundhouse kick, striking the demon along the side of its head. But instead of being knocked back, the demon simply turned and looked at her. Phoebe stared at the demon, pain shooting up her leg.

"Not good," she said, as she limped away from the demon.

John moved over and placed himself between Phoebe and the demon.

"Don't harm them," he pleaded. "It's me you're after. Leave them alone and I'll go with you freely."

"No, John, you can't," Phoebe said. "They probably want to kill you. We'll figure a way out of this, I promise you."

Phoebe looked over and saw Prue, Piper, and Leo struggling against the energy fields encasing them. Leo attempted to orb out of the prison, but seemed unable to penetrate the barrier. Suddenly Prue appeared next to the frozen demon and grabbed the sphere out of his hand.

"Okay, big boy," she said, brandishing the sphere as if it were a weapon, "let's see how you do against your own magic."

"It won't work, I'm afraid," said a voice behind her.

She turned to see what appeared to be a human standing only a few feet away.

"Those spheres cannot be utilized by you," said the man. "I'm afraid they are only able to be properly operated by their rightful possessor."

"Who are you?" demanded Prue, still brandishing the sphere.

"That is a bit hard to explain," said the man. "Let's just say that these, what you call demons, belong to me, so to speak. And we've come for the man you know as John Smith." 


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

"That's not going to happen," said Prue.

The man looked at Prue, and then looked at her still encased in the strange energy field. He appeared puzzled as he looked at the two Prue's.

"I hadn't been informed you had an ability of this type," said the man.

"I'm not in the habit of telling demons what I can do," said Prue. "Now, what are you after John for?"

"Parkus, what are you doing here?" John asked the man.

"You know this guy?" asked Phoebe.

"Well, yes," said John. "He's...that is, well, it's a bit hard to explain."

"I am his head of security," said Parkus.

"Wait a minute," Phoebe said. "You're his head of security? And you're sending demons after him?"

"Most certainly not," Parkus said. "My responsibility is to protect him. Really, Your Highness, do you have any idea the trouble you've caused? Do you know how expensive these trackers are? Not only to make but to repair when they are damaged?"

"Your Highness?" questioned Prue. "What the hell is going on here? Someone better start talking real quick or it's going to get real unpleasant. And what about letting us out of those energy shield things? I'm not sure how long I can astral project for but I can assure you I'm not going back inside there. So you'd better do something about them before I get really pissed."

"Oh, certainly," said Parkus, pulling out what looked like a small, hand held calculator. "It appears you are no danger to his highness. This should only take a moment."

He pressed several buttons on the device and the energy shields surrounding Piper, Leo, and Prue's body vanished. Prue reentered her body and turned to John.

"Okay, Your Highness," she said, "you want to start with some explanations?"

"That's bound to be a bit difficult," said John. "Honestly, I didn't know they were trackers. I've heard of them, of course, but I had never actually seen one. When Phoebe said they were demons, I just assumed that's what they were. I didn't think that Parkus would have been able to find me so quickly, considering the distance and all."

"Your Highness," said Parkus, "you must know that finding you wasn't difficult. You've been asking questions about this place for weeks. When you suddenly disappeared, it wasn't hard to determine where you'd gone."

"Why does he keep calling you 'Your Highness'?" asked Phoebe.

"Because," said John, taking a deep breath, "I am the Regent Prime for Sherron. Something like a king here. It's a hereditary position. My family has held the throne of Sherron for some eighty-seven generations. My son or daughter will take the throne when I'm gone."

"What do you mean something like a king here?" asked Piper. "We don't have any royalty in the United States. Well, unless you count movie stars. We have nothing like that here."

"Oh, I wasn't referring to your country specifically," said Parkus. "I was referring to several of the still reigning monarchs around the planet. Sweden, England, Monaco, and a few others. We are aware that your United States has an elected leader. Quite a rather unique form of government, actually."

"Okay, hang on a second," said Phoebe. "I do remember from school that the Soviet Union didn't have any royalty, even in the individual countries that were a part of it. How could your family have held a throne for eighty-seven generations if it wasn't even an independent country until about a decade or so ago?"

"Soviet Union?" questioned Parkus. "Is that what His Highness told you? Well, I'm pleased to see that you at least were smart enough to conceal your true identity from the entire world, Sire. Young woman, I'm afraid you've been misinformed. Prime Regent Ja'Tal sits on the throne of Sherron. That's his true name, by the way. Ja'Tal Lo'Rren."

"Yeah," said Phoebe. "Sherron is one of the countries that gained its independence when the Soviet Union collapsed, right? That's what John, er, I mean, Ja'Tal told us."

"My dear," said Parkus, "I'm afraid that Sherron is a bit farther away than that. It is actually the fifth of twelve planets revolving around the far left star of what you would call Orion's Belt."

"You're an alien?" questioned Phoebe as she, her sisters, and Leo just stared at him. 


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

"I'm afraid so," said Ja'Tal. "The rest of what I told you was true. I am on vacation. Being Prime Regent of nearly twenty-seven billion people can be quite taxing. I need to get away from time to time and I enjoy visiting unusual, out of the way places."

"That might explain why I can't sense him," said Leo.

"So those tracker things," said Prue, "they aren't demons? And they aren't trying to hurt him?"

"Heavens no," said Parkus. "They are the personal body guard of the royal family of Sherron. Their only task was to return His Highness to Sherron where he can be adequately protected. Something that is much too difficult in such a primitive society as this one."

"Primitive?" questioned Piper, a hint of anger in her voice.

"Oh, I meant no disrespect or insult," said Parkus. "But when compared to Sherron, Earth is much more primitive. Just as there are countries much more primitive than the United States. We were where you are at technologically about fifteen hundred years ago. Compared to Sherron, Earth is practically in the dark ages."

"So these trackers?" questioned Prue. "I didn't hurt any of them, did I? I mean, we thought they were demons and we were protecting Ja'Tal. If I had known they were bodyguards..."

"You can't hurt them," said Parkus. "They aren't alive. They are something that you might call robots, only much more sophisticated. I'm afraid you did damage several of them but they can be repaired."

"I'm sorry about all this," said Ja'Tal. "I honestly did not mean to cause you any distress. I was just looking for a little rest and relaxation."

"Something that any number of proper worlds can afford, Your Highness," said Parkus. "Worlds where your safety can be assured. That's why I tried to dissuade you from coming here. This world has barely reached its nearest celestial body. Most aren't even sure if there are other life forms in the galaxy. If they had discovered who you really were, the results could have been disastrous."

"I'm sorry, Parkus," said Ja'Tal. "But I must say it's been quite an adventure. And as for bodyguards, I couldn't ask for three more competent ones than these three. Not to mention they are much better to look at than those Trackers."

"Thank you," said Phoebe, smiling at him.

"He is promised to another," interjected Parkus. "Someone who is better suited for him, I might add. I'm afraid that any sort of personal relationship wouldn't be possible between His Highness and a human woman."

"Why not?" Phoebe asked. "He looks perfectly fine to me."

"I'm afraid Parkus is right," said Ja'Tal. "You see my true form is much less appealing than this one. I only assumed it to blend in better with the populace here. When I return to Sherron, I'll have to assume my true form again. And the two are not exactly compatible."

"Your true form?" questioned Prue.

"Yes," said Parkus. "It is necessary for us to assume human form in order to survive in your atmosphere. I'm afraid our true forms are much less... aesthetically appealing, as His Highness has said."

"Oh," said Phoebe, somewhat disappointed. "But that doesn't mean we can't be friends. And the next time you visit, we'll know what to expect. And we won't try to vanquish your bodyguards."

"We'll see about another visit," said Parkus. "Now, Your Highness, it's time we were going. The Council is meeting in three days and we have just enough time to return home if we leave now. And you are aware that your attendance is required at the Council meeting."

"Three days?" questioned Piper. "You can travel from here to Sherron in three days?"

"I did say we were technically far superior to Earth," said Parkus.

"He's right," said Ja'Tal. "I have to be there when the Council convenes. One of the duties of being Prime Regent. But I will come back for a visit. I never did get a chance to try that Chinese food Phoebe talked about. It sounds intriguing."

"Come, Your Highness," said Parkus. "We really must be going."

"Thanks for everything," said Ja'Tal, moving over to stand next to Parkus. "I hope I wasn't too much trouble for you."

Before anyone could answer, the two men and the Trackers simply vanished from the living room. 


	9. Chapter 9

NINE

"Leave it to little sister to bring home an alien prince who's playing hooky," said Prue, smiling at her younger sister.

"Hey, how was I to know?" asked Phoebe. "Even you guys thought those tracker things were demons. Even Leo thought they were. How was I to know the guy was from like a gazillion million light years from here?"

"Actually," said Leo, "Orion's Belt is only about fifteen hundred light years from Earth."

"Oh, it that all?" Piper asked, mockingly. "Just across the street."

"In astronomical terms, yes, it is," said Leo. "Still, to travel fifteen hundred light years in less than three days? I can't even orb that fast."

"Well, at least they weren't demons," said Prue. "It's a good thing, too. They seemed to adjust to our attacks. Phoebe, do us all a favor. The next time you bring home a stray, at least make sure he's human. We have enough trouble with demons of the homegrown variety without inviting demons from other worlds to come pay a visit."

"I wonder if there are demons on other worlds?' questioned Phoebe.

"Let's not even think about it," said Piper. "I'm with Prue. The local ones are bad enough. At least we can get information on those."

"Well," said Leo, "I should be going. After all that's happened, you guys need to get some rest. There are real demons out there and you need to be rested in case any of them decide to pay you a visit."

"Thanks, Leo," said Piper. "For everything."

"That's my job," said Leo. "Just call me again if you need anything."

"We will," said Prue.

"I wonder how Ja'Tal and the others just disappeared like they did?" questioned Phoebe after Leo had orbed out. "You think it's anything like Leo's orbing?"

"Probably not," said Prue. "They would use some kind of technology. Leo can orb because he's a magical being. And don't even think about trying to call Ja'Tal, young lady. The phone bill is already high enough without you trying to make a long distance call to Orion or wherever it is he's at."

"No problem with that," said Phoebe smiling. "I don't even have his number."

"Thank God for small favors," said Piper.

"Hey," said Phoebe, still smiling, "you guys think he gets frequent flyer miles for traveling half way across the galaxy?"

"Oh, for crying out loud," said Prue.

Phoebe just giggled as her two sisters smiled at her joke.

The End

If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed" stories at my website, You can also post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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